London : Here are all the upcoming events at London's National Gallery for November 2006:
Exhibitions
Velázquez
For the first time in Britain, a major exhibition will trace the career of one of the very greatest painters - Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez (1599-1660). From his beginnings in Seville, this exhibition follows his move to Madrid and appointment as court painter to Philip IV, his two trips to Italy, to his final days and his knighthood. Throughout his life Velázquez demonstrated an increasingly precocious ability to observe and record reality. He achieved ever greater physical and psychological naturalism using increasingly pronounced and elegant brushstrokes. Velázquez ultimately realised miraculous effects of illusion with an astounding, abbreviated technique that was to inspire future realists as well as the Impressionists. Drawing on the National Gallery's own rich holdings and major loans from the Museo del Prado and other collections, this exhibition will include around a third of the world's surviving works by Velázquez. It will demonstrate his extraordinary development through great examples of his religious and mythological paintings, alongside his portraits.
Manet to Picasso: 22 September 2006 - 20 May 2007
There is a unique opportunity to re-examine the outstanding scope of the National Gallery's collection, when its late 19th- and 20th-century paintings are displayed afresh in a new Sainsbury Wing installation. From the Impressionist masterpieces of Monet and Renoir, to iconic paintings by Van Gogh and Cézanne, this display includes familiar favourites alongside important loans. New juxtapositions will challenge audiences to reconsider well-known works, at the same time as exploring the relationships between major movements. The six rooms of the display will be organised chronologically, allowing visitors to trace the dramatic changes that occurred during some of the most exciting years of artistic development. Earlier 19th-century paintings will be displayed on the ground level of the Wilkins Building.
Cézanne in Britain
October 2006 marks the 100th anniversary of the death of Paul Cézanne (1839-1906), acclaimed as one of the most influential and well-loved artists of all time. The National Gallery is celebrating the artist and his work with Cézanne in Britain - a retrospective focusing entirely on his works held in British collections. Reclusive and shy, Cézanne never came to Britain, yet thanks to pioneering collectors and forward-thinking dealers and scholars, his work has had a remarkable impact here. Britain now holds one of the world's most outstanding collections of works by the artist, and around forty of them from major institutions and private collections have been selected for Cézanne in Britain. This exhibition traces the full development of Cézanne's art with paintings, watercolours, drawings and prints, and covers his wide range of subject matter: portraits, still lifes and landscapes. World-renowned paintings such as Bathers (National Gallery, London) and Mont Sainte-Victoire (National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh) will be shown alongside rarely seen works from private collections.
ArtStart
Supported by American Express Foundation, the National Gallery's touch-screen multimedia facility allows all visitors to explore the Gallery's collection in astonishing detail. ArtStart terminals are situated in a specially designed room and at strategic positions in the Sainsbury Wing, and also in the café area of the newly opened Lower Hall. ArtStart allows visitors to zoom-in on the paintings, explore in-depth features on the 30 collection highlights, find information on artists and their works and print individual tours of the collection.
Dutch Winter Scenes from the National Gallery Collection
In the 17th century, north-western Europe suffered a series of unusually severe winters known as the 'Little Ice Age'. Snowfall was heavy, and canals and rivers regularly froze over during the winter months. Dutch landscape painters grappled with the aesthetic possibilities and practical problems of capturing these icy conditions. The intriguing paintings in this small exhibition celebrate the resilience of the Dutch people as they go about their daily business, even finding joy in the winter weather.
Wednesday Lates 6-9pm
Enjoy art in the evening at our weekly Wednesday Lates. Come to the Sainsbury Wing Foyer for live music, talks and bar, and enjoy exhibitions and the collection until 9pm.
Belle Shenkman Music Programme
Musicians from the Royal College of Music perform a different programme each week, thanks to generous support from the family of Belle Shenkman. The programme for November includes:
1 November: Bourdon Saxophone Quartet
8 November: Naiades Trio: flute, viola, harp
15 November: Clockwise Baroque: sop, oboe, cello, harpsichord
22 November: Kerem Quartet: String Quartet
29 November: Bratfanoff Wind Quartet
Education Events
Wednesday evening lecture - Velázquez and Rubens
This is the story of how two 17th-century painters added to Titian's account of love between gods and men. In Madrid in 1628, Rubens and Velázquez talked together about Titian's Venus and Adonis, now in the National Gallery. In that year, Rubens brought eight pictures from Antwerp as a gift for Philip IV from his aunt, the Archduchess Isabella. The Spanish hunting lodge, the Torre de la Parada, is the focus between 1636 and 1640 when Rubens and Velázquez developed the creative equivalent of the poésie which Titian had famously painted for Philip II some 70 years earlier. David Howarth teaches in the Department of Fine Art, University of Edinburgh. His new book is The Invention of Spain (2006).
Friday evening lecture - Velázquez, Today and Tomorrow
This plenary lecture considers how the study and interpretation of the life and art of Velázquez were stimulated by the celebration in 1999 of the 400th anniversary of his birth. Additions to knowledge and changes in the perception of the artist are assessed and the quest for a Velázquez of the 21st century is deliberated. Jonathan Brown is a Professor at the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, and author of many books on Velázquez and Spanish art, including the Pelican History of Art volume, Painting in Spain, 1500-1700.
Wednesday evening lecture - Captains and Kings: Velázquez and the Hall of Realms
In May 1635 The Surrender of Breda (Prado, Madrid), one of Velázquez's masterpieces, first went on display in the Hall of Realms in Madrid's Buen Retiro Palace. This picture belonged to a series of battle paintings - 12 in all - celebrating the victories of King Philip IV over the Dutch, English, and other enemies of the Spanish crown. This illustrated lecture presents a detailed look at these paintings and explores the circumstances leading to their production. Richard Kagan is Professor of History at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, and a specialist in early modern European history.
Wednesday evening event - A Tribute to Velázquez: Rehearsed Reading of Antonio Buero Vallejo's play 'Las Meninas' Wednesday 15 November, 6.30pm, Sainsbury Wing Theatre; repeated Saturday 18
Antonio Buero Vallejo (1916-2000) was one of Spain's leading playwrights. His work has always expressed the longing for truth, however painful it might be. Las Meninas was first staged at the Teatro Español in 1960 as part of the tercentenary commemoration of the death of Velázquez. Although fiercely criticised, it became Buero's most successful production to date. The play explores the figure of Velázquez and delves into the nature of the painter's gaze. This new translation will be presented as a rehearsed reading to accompany the Velázquez exhibition at the National Gallery. This is a collaboration with the Instituto Cervantes, London.
Wednesday evening lecture - the spain of Velázquez
Spain at the time of Velázquez's birth in 1599 was the greatest power of the western world. By the time he died in 1660 it had lost its European hegemony to the France of Louis XIV. As painter to Philip IV, Velázquez was a privileged spectator of the events that marked the loss of Spanish power, but he was also at the centre of one of the most brilliant courts in Europe. This lecture, in following the career of Velázquez first in Seville and then at court, seeks to illuminate the paradox of cultural creativity in a period of growing awareness of national decline. Professor Sir John Elliott is an eminent historian and Regius Professor Emeritus at the University of Oxford.
Wednesday evening lecture - the legacy of Velázquez
During the decades following Velázquez's death in 1660 the only painter faithful to his stylistic legacy was his assistant and son-in-law Juan Bautista Martínez del Mazo. In the 18th century, Goya returned to Velázquez's example as a way of reinvigorating art at court. By the late 19th and 20th centuries, Velázquez was considered a 'prince among painters', influencing many artists including Manet, Sargent, Picasso and Dalí, all of whom responded to the artistic challenge of Velázquez's masterpiece, Las Meninas. Suzanne Stratton-Pruitt is the author of Velázquez's Las Meninas in the Cambridge University Press series 'Masterpieces of Western Painting', and the editor of and a contributor to The Cambridge Companion to Velázquez.
Course - Velázquez: The Power of Paint
Velázquez was one of the greatest of all European painters. In genre scenes and then in portraits and illustrations of religious and mythological themes he exhibited an almost unparalleled mastery over style and technique. He had an ability to stay true to that which he observed while imperceptibly adjusting it to give expression to the elegance and power of his mind. Through analyses of paintings in the National Gallery exhibition and also of great masterpieces such as Las Meninas, The Surrender of Breda and the portrait of Pope Innocent X, this course will provide an opportunity to review the whole of Velázquez's career.
EVENING EVENT - The Holbein Code? Interpreting 'The Ambassadors' Wednesday 1 November, 6.30-8pm, Sainsbury Wing Conference Room 1.
In 1533, Hans Holbein the Younger made a striking portrait of Jean de Dinteville (French ambassador to the English court) and his friend Georges de Selve (a cleric visiting from France). They are pictured with a dazzling array of objects and instruments which present them as cultured, educated men - and which also appear to make references to the religious and political tensions that gripped Europe at this time. But just how many hidden messages might there be in 'The Ambassadors'? Why have certain elements been included, and is their precise location in the painting significant? See what you think about different theories and possibilities as we discuss this extraordinary painting and the circumstances in which it was made. Includes wine and refreshments.
EVENING EVENT - Velázquez: Painter of Kings, King of Painters
Velázquez is considered to be one of the greatest artists by his peers. The combination of a remarkable technique, breathtaking realism and his philosophical dialogues about the nature of painting mark him out as one of the most fascinating figures in art history. This evening will chart the artist's progress from his apprenticeship in Seville to court painter in Madrid, his wide-ranging subject matter and his fascination with mirrors. Includes wine and refreshments.
EVENING EVENT - Virtual Velázquez: Exploring 'Las Meninas'
Velázquez's intriguing portrait of the family of Philip IV, Las Meninas, is one of his greatest achievements. This huge painting, however, is unable to travel from the Prado Museum in Madrid so cannot be shown in the current National Gallery exhibition of the artist's work. In this session we will explore the painting inside and out: who is depicted, what kind of space are they in, and what sorts of ideas are suggested by different elements in this elaborate pictorial construction? Includes wine and refreshments.
EVENING EVENT - Reflecting Velázquez
Many artists have responded to the art of Velázquez in a variety of different ways. This informal evening will take a look at some of the artists he influenced. We will begin with some of his immediate contemporaries, before moving on to the modernity of Manet and Picasso. Then we will see Philip IV Hunting Wild Boar (La Tela Real) become an American baseball game and finish with some recent video and photographic art. Includes wine and refreshments.
SUNDAY MORNING BRUNCH - Velázquez: Art and Life in 17th-Century Spain
'What we all do with labour, he does with ease.' These are Sir Joshua Reynolds's words on the great 17th-century painter Velázquez. He was referring to the extraordinary way Velázquez conjured up his illusionistic effects and observations of reality with virtuoso brushwork and fluid handling of paint. From the artist's beginnings in Seville, where he painted scenes of ordinary people eating and drinking, to his illustrious career as court painter for Philip IV of Spain, the National Gallery exhibition spans Velázquez's lifetime. This informal Sunday morning event will introduce participants to the Velázquez exhibition and set the artist within the context of life during Spain's Golden Age. Includes coffee and refreshments.
POETRY WORKSHOP - SIGHT-LINES
How do we feel when we are looked in the eye by a painting? What does the exchange of looks between Madonna and Child evoke in us? The gaze is central to the ways in which painters invite us into their worlds, and similarly poets must consider the reader's perceptions. Does love poetry, for example, make us feel understood, excluded or voyeuristic? In this one-day workshop we will be looking closely at paintings in the National Gallery and writing poetry inspired by this theme. Poems written during the day will receive individual attention during the afternoon feedback session. Writers of all levels of experience are welcome. Numbers will be limited to 22. Includes sandwich lunch, tea and coffee.
WORKSHOP - Talk and... Sculpt
This event combines a free lunchtime talk in the Gallery (open to the general public) with a practical sculpture workshop. After talking about Moroni's portraits, focusing in particular on his Portrait of a Man ('The Tailor'), Al Johnson will lead a workshop which uses wax sculpting techniques to explore particular facial features: ears, eyes or noses. How exactly are they shaped, and how much do they contribute to the impact of these striking portraits? Places at the workshop are limited, so advance booking is recommended. All materials are provided, including aprons. Making sculpture can be messy, so you may want to wear old clothes. Suitable for all levels of experience.
WORKSHOP - Head in your Hands: Making a Portrait Bust
This one-day workshop works both as an extension of the short Talk and... Sculpt session (11 November), and as a stand-alone workshop: you don't need to have taken part in anything else to join in. Al Johnson will use Moroni's portraits as her starting point, looking at how individual facial features all fit together, particularly in the round. Participants will make their own small portrait busts: sculpting clay models, making quick-setting moulds and casting their creations. Places at the workshop are limited, so advance booking is recommended. All materials are provided, including aprons. Making sculpture can be messy, so you may want to wear old clothes. Suitable for all levels of experience.
STUDY MORNING - Cézanne in Britain Saturday 11 November, 10.30am-1pm, Sainsbury Wing Theatre
The Sunley Room exhibition Cézanne in Britain reflects the range and diversity of works by Cézanne in public and private collections, and this study morning considers the patterns of collecting and the artist's changing reputation, as well as reflecting on one of his key themes, the depiction of bathers.
STUDY DAY - Exploring Velázquez 1 Saturday 25 November, 10.30am-4.30pm, Sainsbury Wing Theatre.
In the first of two study days linked to the exhibition Velázquez (the second will be held on 13 January 2007, see page 40), we look at various aspects of this astonishing painter's life and production, including his technique and his religious paintings. Speakers include: Dawson Carr, curator of Velázquez; Larry Keith, conservator at the National Gallery and catalogue author; and Xavier Bray of the National Gallery.
Conference - Diego Velázquez Friday 3 November, 2.15pm-5.30pm, Sainsbury Wing Theatre, 6.30-7.30pm, plenary lecture by Jonathan Brown, 'Velázquez, Today and Tomorrow' in the Sainsbury Wing Theatre, followed by a private view of Velázquez.
The plenary lecture considers how the study and interpretation of the life and art of Velázquez were stimulated by the celebration in 1999 of the 400th anniversary of his birth. Additions to knowledge and changes in the perception of the artist are assessed and the quest for a Velázquez of the 21st century is deliberated. Jonathan Brown is a Professor at the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, and author of many books on Velázquez and Spanish art, including the Pelican History of Art volume on Painting in Spain, 1500-1700. Conference speakers are Richard Kagan, Professor of History at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore; Dawson Carr, curator of Velázquez; and David Howarth, Department of Fine Art, University of Edinburgh
Research symposium - Soul of Empire: Visualising Religion in the Early Modern Hispanic World
A collaboration with ARTES (the Iberian and Latin American visual culture group) and King's College London. The session at the National Gallery is called 'New Perspectives on Golden Age Visual Culture'. The speakers include: Michael J. Schreffler from Virginia Commonwealth University; Laura Bass from Tulane University; Osvaldo Pardo from the University of Connecticut; and Kathryn Mayers from Wake Forest University.
Film Season - Portrait of an Artist
'The greatest tableaux are portraits. Velázquez, for instance. A painter who tries to render a face only renders the outside of people; and yet something else is revealed. It's very mysterious. It's an adventure' (Jean-Luc Godard - Godard on Godard)
To reflect Velázquez's eminence as a portraitist, this National Gallery film season concentrates on the portrait in cinema; from the inward intensity of performance, to the self as an essentially unknowable entity.
4 November: Solas
11 November: The Life of Oharu
Free Events for Children and Families
WEEKEND GALLERY TALKS - Light up your World Every Saturday and Sunday, 11.30am, Meet in the Education Centre Foyer
Join us for an hour-long themed children's tour of paintings. Sessions are aimed at families with children aged 5 to 11. All children must be accompanied.
SECOND WEEKEND DRAWING EVENT - Head in the clouds Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 November 2006, 11.30am, repeated 2.30pm. Meet in Room 22
Join artist Mary Evans to explore a dramatic scene and imagine what shapes and patterns might be hidden in the clouds. Workshops take place on the second weekend of each month and last one hour. Sessions include a lively talk and drawing activity based on a different theme each month. All materials are provided and participants receive a free souvenir pencil. For families with children aged 5 to 11. All children must be accompanied
Free Events
In addition to the courses, workshops, lectures and other events detailed in this booklet, the National Gallery has free talks and tours every day.
Guided tours - every day at 11.30am and 2.30pm, plus 6pm and 6.30pm on Wednesdays, 12.30pm and 3.30pm on Saturdays.
Lunchtime talks - Tuesday to Saturday each week at 1pm, plus special lectures and films on some Mondays. On Fridays, you can join in an interactive talk, hear a debate or get creative in the 'Talk and Draw' activities for adults.
Ten-Minute Talks - a quick insight into one painting, Monday to Friday at 4pm.
Picture in Focus - 25-minute talk on one painting, every Wednesday evening at 6pm.
Painting of the Month - a range of free talks at different times on one painting.
Art through Words - session for visitors with a visual impairment, last Saturday of the month, 11.30am.
British Sign Language -interpreted events take place on the first Saturday of every month.
For more information on any of the events listed above visit www.nationalgallery.org.uk .
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